Poetry In Motion
by Aero-Cluster
Summary: the last downpour of metaphors.
1. Moving In

**A/N: I know I'm supposed to have updated CEAPR and PUD for the past...eternity D: but I was having trouble with the plot. I'm struggling whether to settle for a happy ending or the alternative which is clearly another *cough* just-not-meant-to-be-together-ending *cough* but even though it's tempting enough to do so, I won't because I promised you guys a happy ending. :) CEAPR's next chap's done and I will be posting it next week after I finish cleaning it up. PUD will be on hold so I can concentrate on CEAPR and because I'm waiting for the rest of the Tartaros guys to be introduced—their powers included for the plot to make sense. Until then, deal with this one first.**

**It's going to be a slice of life fic, college-centric and don't worry, unlike my other fics with a heavy and dramatic plot, this'll be soft, light and possibly fluffy. Okay enough of my rant. :D**

* * *

Disclaimer applied

Poetry In Motion  
the final downpour of metaphors

Chapter One: Moving In

* * *

It was definitely a long, hot and agonizing Sunday for anyone who'd come out of their homes with the temperature above nineties.

But it wasn't stopping a redhead from walking across the sizzling asphalt road to the burning, crusty concrete of the sidewalk and then finally finding comfort in the shade of a dilapidated bus lined up along with the other vehicles in traffic. Seizing that moment to take a break, the lady in white tee and a pair of skinny jeans twisted the bottle cap of her now lukewarm mineral water and took a huge gulp, almost squeaking in delight as she felt herself being refreshed and hydrated. She drew her head back further to pour more liquid but immediately regretted the action when the sun's scorching rays blinded her.

And she was even wearing aviator glasses damn it! But those did little to help prevent the light from slipping through the slits of her eyes.

She then threw the now empty bottle at the nearest trash bin and succeeded the action by tying her scarlet locks. Her hair was becoming too much of a bother and a nuisance—sticking to her nape and spilling out like a tumbleweed. The strands were bundled up high on her head with the gentle waves and curves falling down like waterfall on her back.

The redhead clicked her tongue in annoyance as the leather strap of her wristwatch stuck to her skin like glue. She adjusted the strap, apparently making it loose enough to let her choking skin breathe in air. Wiping the sweat that rolled down her forehead, she dragged her sore and probably blistered feet along the hot pavement and ignored how the heat penetrated inside the soft material of her black flats.

The exhausted lady reached her destination within a couple of minutes, fanning herself as she dragged her wheeled duffle bag inside the building. She was immediately hit by a wave of cold air, prickling her skin with stabs of disorienting chills.

"Good afternoon!" welcomed a friendly voice from across the lobby.

The redhead returned the polite greeting with a warm smile, hoping that the way her lips tilted up weren't as creepy as she felt they'd be.

"I'm Mira, welcome to Fairy Tail Halls!" her blue eyes sparkled as she waited for the visitor's introduction.

"Erza Scarlet," came the redhead's dry reply. "I'm here for a vacant room, any type—"

"Oh I'm terribly sorry Miss Scarlet but I'm afraid we've no more rooms available. Did you not get the memo?"

Erza was tired and sore and hell, annoyed. Here she was, thinking that she could finally avail a room as she had problems with her previous apartment—rats, roaches, and paper thin walls—and here was this giddy white-haired lady, telling her that the school's dormitory had mo more vacant rooms.

"What memo? I didn't receive anything like that from the office." she complained, her pitch kicking up a notch.

"Well," Mira laughed weakly, clasping her hands together. "That's most unfortunate, but worry not—"

"Really? You're telling me not to worry when I won't be having any place to—"

"Miss Scarlet I believe—"

"—sleep in and where am I going to find an apartment, a room no less with the rent rate as low as yours? Or even as—"

"Miss Scarlet if you would just—"

"convenient for that particular matter huh? Do you know how long I've travelled and endured just to get here and now you're just going to tell me—"

Erza was ranting again. Something she'd usually do when she's irked, nervous or stressed. She was pacing back and forth like a broken automobile. No one could blame her though, she left her apartment at around seven, hoping to arrive at nine. But then the traffic, oh that gruesome trail of vehicles caused her to arrive later than lunch time.

"—that you don't have a fuck—"

"Shut that lovely trap of yours and listen to me."

"E-Excuse me?" the redhead's eyes widened when the very accommodating, very polite concierge turned sinister for a split second.

Mira coughed and she was back to her usual self.

"There may not be any more rooms available but the university has already fixed this matter beforehand."

Erza raised a thin eyebrow at this.

"You see, the moment you were transferred, there were no more rooms, and most unfortunate—no more vacancy for the female section. So the school had to...adjust a bit and they've finally decided to assign you to the boy section if you are most likely to agree to it. Well Miss Scarlet?" Mira handed her out a silver key with the numbers four, three, two and seven etched on the keychain.

Erza's face lightened up. She was going to share rooms with a guy, but she can live with that. She's just so happy that her worries of settling in were over! She grasped Mira's hands and shook them vigorously.

"Why didn't you just say so? Oh thank you!"

"Well, I would've but you won't stop yammering..." Mira muttered then eventually followed the inaudible remark with something lively. "Well, you are now officially a resident of Fairy Tail Halls! Standard rules still apply though. No one's allowed to leave or enter the halls past eleven-thirty. No midnight visitors, no drinking sessions. The seventh floor is the recreational section, we have a study area, a gym, a pool and indoor playroom for table tennis, and cue sports. Now if you've any concerns don't hesitate to approach me."

Thanking Mira countless of times, she hurried to the elevator with the thought of finally resting on her mind.

* * *

When she reached the forty-third floor, Erza was immediately welcomed by the wide hallway and the powder blue wall paint.

Cozy. That was the first word that came to mind.

She was practically overjoyed seeing the place. It was so classy and sophisticated she almost felt like she was in a five-star hotel. All for a low rate! No wonder the building was rented all out.

She stopped at the middle of the hall when a shiny, gold-plated forty-three, twenty-seven plastered on a silver round plate caught her attention. Normally she'd just stick the key in and help herself in, since according to Mira, this was officially her room. But being a lady with adequate manners, she knocked first.

There was no response.

Another knock, louder this time.

Still no response.

Shrugging, she inserted the key and twisted until she heard the lock coming undone. She turned the knob and as she opened the door, she was greeted with silence. The quaint light that seeped through the drawn curtains were enough to show her the room though.

It was spacious to say the least and she loved it. From across the expanse of the living room with a sofa and LED television were two doors.

_A two-bedroom type!_ She almost shrieked in joy were it not for the fact that she wasn't the only person on the compound.

Finding a note stuck to the door on the opposite side of the kitchen, she assumed this was her room.

The legible handwriting said: Your part of the share sweetheart *wink*

She smiled a little, amused and excited at how her roommate would turn out to be once she finally gets a chance to meet him. Unloading her things once inside, she cleaned everything and arranged her things which scaled from books to clothes. Finishing an hour later, she felt the uncomfortable feeling of sweat on her skin.

Clammy.

Sighing, she stood up and headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

She was in the middle of rinsing her hair for the last traces of shampoo when she came to a realization that there was only one bathroom.

"Hmm, I guess we'll have to compromise."

Erza wrapped a fluffy towel around her body and settled in to start dressing inside her room. The redhead had only shoved the towel aside when she heard the knob of the main door turning and the sound of the familiar clinking of keys. Not wanting to surprise her roommate with her sudden intrusion without proper introduction, she donned her bathrobe and headed out with her red locks dripping all over the carpeted floor.

A sudden flash of blue caught her pupils and from where she was standing, a pair of phthalo green eyes met her sienna ones for an alarmed instant before relaxing and acknowledging her presence.

And boy was he handsome.

He was taller than her obviously, his head decorated by his messy but appealing cerulean locks. His hunter green eyes glinting gorgeously as he scanned the room and with her in it. Erza noticed he was out of breath and that he was sweating. The trails of liquid sliding down his beautiful face and rolling all the way down to the cloth of his muscle shirt. The expanse of his chiseled chest and the muscles rippling on both his arms and abdomen made the redhead swallow the lump on her throat.

"Oh hi, I'm your roommate, Erza Scarlet. It's finally nice to meet you. There was nobody in so I just helped myself in and I saw your note on the door it was really really—"

"You're ranting." came his cool and amused baritone voice. The ultramarine chuckled and she blushed at this, grunting as her unusual habit set off.

"Yeah, I—"

The taller figure took the hand that she held out, oblivious to how long she'd outstretched her hand.

She frowned.

"Jellal, Jellal Fernandes."

_Was that tattoo on his face?_

"Yes it is." he chuckled when she cursed at herself for blurting out her remark out loud.

"I'm sorry I-I actually—"

"Yeah, and you're practically wearing nothing underneath that robe of yours." Erza instinctively wrapped her arms in front of her ample chest, blushing furiously at how rude that came out.

"Why clearly yes, I mean no, I don't—I mean I do! I-I _have _something on underneath my bathrobe!"

"Well I didn't need to know that, but judging from your reaction, you're going to be a lot of fun. Excuse me for a moment."

The so-called Jellal Fernandes entered his room, disappearing inside as he locked the door and left a gawking Erza all alone.

So this was shame and humiliation in the very definition of it.

She stomped her way back to her room muttering to herself and just as she was about to slam the door, her bare foot caught something on the softness of the carpet.

The note.

She tore it to pieces and fished out a couple of legal reference text books, putting her reading glasses on.

"Cocky bastard."

* * *

**A/N: Yep, now the only thing that separates the two is the wall between their bedrooms! But we can always cross the line right? Rating may change. :D**


	2. And Here We Draw The Line

Disclaimer applied

Poetry In Motion  
the final downpour of metaphors

Chapter Two: And Here We Draw The Line

* * *

Erza wore a white button-down shirt with the long sleeves folded, reaching all the way up to her elbows and the hem tucked in a pair of jeans that hugged her lower body perfectly. She finished her getup by tying her hair high back and slipped on her favorite pair of flats. Her bag was slung over one delicate shoulder and before finally leaving her room, the redhead grabbed a couple of books—legal reference texts—which were necessary for her classes.

She had woken up rather too early this time and that was not because she was excited for school, no. It was because she wanted to avoid something as embarrassing and inconvenient such as yesterday's event. Her mature of a roommate apparently struck her right through the gut with his blunt and straightforward remarks. Well, the blue-haired demon couldn't be blamed though, it was her fault for actually heading out of the room with nothing on—except for the thin piece of material she called bathrobe. And all for what? So that she could greet him? She furrowed her brows; she really was an idiot. What was she really thinking of when she did that? What did she want to achieve? She gritted her teeth in an attempt to break the unpleasant memory down. Clearly she wouldn't want her day to be ruined by something that was already done right?

The redhead relaxed, shaking her head from side to side. If she wanted this to be truly over, she'd have to explain things to him.

Thoroughly.

Besides, she really needed to talk to him to settle not only the dispute that took place that afternoon but also because of matters regarding the share of the rent, the appliances and probably the time table for the usage of the bathroom since they only have one.

She hated the thought of having to talk to him because it was such a bother, but nevertheless it was necessary.

_After this, no more. After this hopefully civilized talk, it'll be over._

It was a choice between living her college life by nursing his ego through pointless fights and arguments or staying invisible and remaining ignorant of his overwhelming presence. She chose the latter of course, being someone—according to her—with the higher level of intellect and judgment, she wasn't going to risk anything under avoidable circumstances.

Erza checked the time on her wristwatch.

7:45

_I got time._ Her first period will start at nine anyway.

She slowly walked towards the first door adjacent to hers and was about to knock when the back of her hand stopped halfway. If her knuckles as so much touch the wood and make a sound, there was no backing out. No escape, because what excuse would she have to say if that happens and she isn't ready? That she tripped and banged her head on his door? Simultaneously?

Erza winced at the thought and rolled her eyes as the back of her hand met the lacquer wood door with a soft thud.

"You're up early." the redhead jumped from the voice that came from behind her. It wasn't really the sultry and seductive way that he delivered the statement, no. It was how close and clear it sounded. It was almost like—

She spun around violently and was immediately greeted by her roommate's chest.

God.

Her roommate's tantalizing, wet and rock-hard chest.

"You're invading my personal space." she managed to sound convincingly irritated with that low and virile voice of hers. But who was she kidding really? When in fact, her whole system was only being supported by the door that held her jelly frame intact.

"Says the lawyer." The ultramarine chuckled, drawing closer and trapping her in the process.

"What?" Erza couldn't really get her brain to rack something logical with his towering presence. She was like a lamb at the mercy of a hungry wolf.

The ultramarine pointed out to the books that she was clutching firmly from across her chest.

"Constitution and Legal History?" he tried prying one of the books out of her grasp but a hand slapped his from doing so.

"Technically speaking, a legal management student." she seethed, her chocolate brown eyes piercing right through his hazy green orbs.

"Temper, temper."

Erza pushed him, trying her best to get her space back but was stopped by his strong stance. He barely budged at her so-called resistance and the hand pressed on his chest took all of her strength not to slide it down his pectoral muscles, passing lower to the contours of his abdominal muscles and all the way down to the—

"You're wearing something underneath that, right?" she asked while keeping her eyes from travelling down _there._

Jellal smirked, tugging on the only material keeping him from being naked.

"You want to—"

She pushed him back harder this time, and the ultramarine was a bit shocked at how he was easily shoved back with just that.

"Don't you dare loosen the knot on that towel of yours or I swear I will kick you. _There._ And where the sun doesn't shine."

A hearty laughter resonated from the room. The man in front of her, Erza thought, was making fun of her again.

Ignoring the sudden outburst of his laughter, she took this opportunity to seal the deal and slither out of his way.

_Talking to him would be worse than talking to horse shit..._

She came to an abrupt stop when the small tug on her hair offered resistance.

"Wow, your hair color's pretty weird. Pretty, but weird." he took the strands and watched how the tendrils silkily glided along the pads of his long appendages. Jellal loved the smell that came from her hair.

Apples. Fresh apples. Although faint, it was still there.

He wondered if he could get a stronger smell of the fruit if he sniffed her tresses...

Erza snorted and shoved her hair aside, preventing him from making his thought come to life.

"Are you for real? You should check your hair, it's blue."

"True," he shrugged and slouched into an even relaxed position. "So, what do you have to say?"

"Excuse me?"

He pointed to the door behind her.

"You were in a middle of a mental breakdown between knocking or not."

At that point, Erza wondered if he was a mind reader. How did he know that she was having trouble with herself from a very simple and mundane choice?

She cleared her throat before checking her watch.

_I still got plenty of time._

"Look," she started and loosened up a bit, shoving her books inside her bag. "I think we should discuss matters regarding...our share on the rent, and my biggest concern—the time table for the usage of the bathroom."

"Then why don't we just take a bath together then? It'll save us the problem of having to save water and the trouble of taking turns."

"I'm being serious here."

"So am I."

She frowned. This conversation was going down the drain and she didn't know how quickly this was falling. It was like talking to a mentally challenged person!

"Okay, Gerald—"

"It's Jellal."

"O...kay, Jellal," she said, testing the name while fishing out a pen and paper from her bag. "How about this? Give me your class schedule and—" she stopped midway and placed both her hands on his cheeks, effectively cupping his handsome face. "And my eyes are up here." she barked when his gaze lowered from her face down to the apparent swell of her chest. She knew her size was big, but damn, did he have to stare at _those_ so blatantly?

Jellal chuckled.

"Sorry, I'm having trouble looking at your face because—"

"As I was saying," the redhead flicked his forehead, earning a little grunt from the man who was clad in a shy piece of cloth. "I'll be the one to adjust." Erza brought herself to force a smile despite the fact that he was being difficult.

The ultramarine shook his head, clicking his tongue as he pouted like a child. "That's not how things work you know."

"W-What?" she could feel her temper rising, her ears turning a tad bit redder than usual as her hands were balled up and clenched to tight fists.

"You should give me yours too."

"I see no point in doing that." she shot back.

"Well," he shrugged. "I'm not giving mine until you give me yours."

Her lips formed into a thin line and her brows scrunched up in the process.

_The...the nerve of this man!_

With a relentless sigh she finally agreed.

"Fine. Now write it down."

"I will, after I dress up." he pushed her lightly aside as he entered his room, taking the paper in one hand and the pen between his pearly white teeth. He winked at her before disappearing once again with a soft shutting of the door.

_I still got time._

* * *

8:45

At the first few minutes, Erza was willing to wait for him. I mean, how long do men usually take to get ready right?

But Jellal, like the redhead had concluded was no ordinary man.

He was a sick, retarded piece of horse shit who was making her wait for the last forty-five minutes.

_What the hell is he doing inside? Is he putting on make-up or something? His preparations are even longer than mine!_

Erza was about to knock on his door—bang on it even, and God she could care less if it would come down. She was going to be late if this was going to keep up! The redhead was ready to pound her fist onto the door when it opened and revealed a perfectly simple Jellal, wearing simple clothes—a simple white tee, and simple cargo shorts.

"What the hell? What took you so long?" she tried controlling her voice down as she was afraid to wake the neighbors.

"What? I had to fix my hair." he proudly ran his fingers through his cerulean locks just as Erza gaped at him.

"Well I'll be damned. Did you write it down?"

"Write what down?"

"Your schedule! Are you a total—"

Jellal handed her the paper and was chuckling all to himself. It was like he was enjoying the sight of her. Well, he was enjoying every bit of her.

"Loosen up a bit will you?"

Erza breathed in and out. She tried calming herself by mentally counting.

_Calm down. You don't want to rant again._

"Thank you, now that this is settled—"

"Whoah, hold it there Ginger."

"Ginger?"

"It's barely over. I have yet to present _my _side of the deal with you."

"Okay, I still got little time. Let's hear it."

"House rules. Curfew. Lights out at seven. Television's mine at ten, and limit the people you're going to bring with you. Most is three. Last thing I want is a ruckus."

"Deal. And your guests my liege?" she sarcastically inquired, adding a bit of insult to her statement.

"I don't bring any. If I do, it's just one."

"Okay then." she offered her right hand for a handshake and he took it casually, smirking as they held on to each other.

"So, I'll see you later at school then?" he tried suppressing a laughter at her totally clueless face.

"What—"

She checked her watch.

9:05

Damn.

She's late.

* * *

Erza Scarlet was an orphan.

She was left all alone at a tender age of seven, losing her parents to the wretched wheels of fate.

It was devastating for her of course, her beloved being taken away by car accident.

Her relatives didn't even plan on taking her in, as she was much more of a burden than a responsibility. Or so they say.

It was a huge slap to her face.

She didn't blame them though and instead of spending starless nights, crying her heart out on the window pane, she worked hard. Really hard. Erza had to apply for a job at a local bakery for financial issues, and that livelihood being managed by her best friend's parents, agreed to let her work so long as she accepts the thought of being adopted. The joy of pride was instilled in her ever since she was young, and Erza really didn't like the idea of people helping her out due to sympathetic reasons, or even empathy for the worse matter. But since her best friend's parents wouldn't accept her for the job without their say in the matter, she really did not have much of a choice.

Erza was adopted by the Mikazuchi family right after her parents' death. She was after all their son's—Simon's—best friend and to Kagura, she was like her elder sister.

The young orphan worked hours over the bakery, serving customers and taking their orders instantaneously, and during rough days, simultaneously. She didn't want to owe them anything. Hell she didn't want to owe the world anything. But living in a household of pure and kindhearted people had its perks. Erza was able to continue her studies and was able to land on a decent job at a convenience store near the city.

It was at the age of sixteen that she finally decided to leave the Mikazuchi household. There were heartfelt pleas for her to stay and even tears she was held accountable for. To Erza it was heartbreaking, although she'd deny it, Simon would never forget the night he saw her trembling and biting her lower lip to push back the traces of shed tears.

She finished high school at the age of nineteen and graduated with flying colors. Erza by that time, still had no idea of what she should pursue.

If there was one thing besides hardship that she'd learned from her childhood, it was helping out people.

It had crossed her mind that she hasn't really been able to pay back the people who had helped her out.

Or to coin it properly she _wouldn't_ be able to help the people who helped her out.

The news came to her like the dead of the night.

She and Simon met at the convenience store she was currently employed at.

His parents had been murdered.

To Erza, she didn't know what felt worse—the fact that Simon and Kagura were now alone in the world like her, or the fact that she lost her parents, twice. Surely enough they weren't her biological parents, but they were every bit of a parent an orphan like her could ask for.

It was over the break that Erza had finally decided to take on a course for college, and as her personality and attitude had already dictated, it wasn't because she wanted the course itself, it was because she _needed_ to take the course.

She wanted justice for her family.

She wanted justice. Period.

* * *

"Miss Scarlet, it's rare for you to be late in my class." a middle-aged man stated and although the redhead was late for class, the professor was plainly amused.

"My apologies sir, I had matters...I attended to." she explained, all the while feeling unsure of herself.

The professor motioned her to take a seat and for this, she thanked him.

Jura Neekis was a man who looked more like that of a mafia boss than a regular economics teacher—with his steady and hard gaze, the grim line that decorated his face, and that long black beard which was comparable to that of a hermit. It had intimidated the redhead and the rest of the class, but once the man started spouting jokes—which were no far better than a failure of a comedian—they realized how easy going of a person he was. It was only during exams and graded recitations that the professor was hard as a rock and stricter than usual. He was the very definition of an ideal teacher.

"Erza," whispered a blue-haired girl from her right. "why were you late?"

"Levy," she sighed, not wanting to go into details. "Trust me, it's a long, long story."

She shrank back to her seat and the petite blue-haired lady just nodded in response. As much as Erza loved the fundamentals of economics, she wasn't really in the mood to listen to the production and consumption of goods. She planted her elbow instead on her table and buried her chin on the palm of her hand, setting her gaze somewhere else.

It was when Erza caught sight of a sudden flash of blue among the green landscape of the university.

"Oh, it looks like Miss Scarlet here has set her eyes on someone gorgeous." a brunette who was playing with a pencil sing-sang, touching a sensitive nerve on the redhead.

"Cana," Levy warned, knowing full well of the redhead's temper.

"Im just saying," Cana raised her hand in defeat as her eyes followed every movement of the handsome stranger walking his way through the school grounds. "Jellal is a hottie—scratch that, he's one of the university's heartthrobs! I wouldn't really judge if you've fallen for him."

"Really?" Erza asked absentmindedly as her brown eyes watched him disappear out of her sight.

"Yeah really I mean it's no—"

"No." she corrected herself, scrunching her brows in the process. "That perverted jackass is wanted by the ladies?"

Erza almost hurled at the thought.

"Perverted jackass? He's a perfect gentleman! The very embodiment of chivalry itself!" Cana whispered through gritted teeth.

"That's not how he treats me. The first two days I've been living with him it—" Cana and Levy's eyes turned to saucers.

"L-Living with him?" Levy McGarden, being a pure girl that she was reddened from the thought of having her friend live with a man—a healthy and hormonal adult no less.

"Shut up!" Cana banged the table and the class was now looking at her. "Details! I need details now!"

"Miss Alberona," came a low voice that sliced its way through the cunning lady's ears. "I believe you wouldn't want to discuss about the law of supply-and-demand, yes?"

Cana sheepishly scratched the back of her head and shrank once more into her seat.

Erza remained deaf to the ruckus springing up inside the room and kept her eyes glued outside.

She remained like that for a couple of seconds before frowning and averting her gaze.

The last thing she needed was a distraction.

And Jellal Fernandes was every bit of the distraction she didn't need.

* * *

**A/N: Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone of you had a great 2013! Hello 2014! I've celebrated mine with a blast, ateateate and ate some more. LOL. Here's my 2014 gift to you people! Hope you don't mind leaving yours too. loveyou!**


	3. The Line That Must Not Be Crossed

Disclaimer applied

Poetry In Motion  
the final downpour of metaphors

Chapter Three: The Line That Must Not Be Crossed

* * *

Jellal wondered how much of a bore his first three weeks had been in Fairy Tail University.

He was a pre-med sophomore student, twenty-one and available.

None of the girls in class or even in campus had piqued his interest. They were either too full of themselves or too tongue tied to even speak. Some were just annoying and the remaining—well, they were lurking in the shadows somewhere and were contented with licking pictures of him and building shrines. The point was, even if the girls flocking around him or flooding his locker with love letters were beautiful, or sexy or some idol fished out from the internet, he couldn't bring himself to care and this was because none of the girls were really serious about getting to know him. He was always viewed as the sexy Jellal Fernandes with the perfect face and perfect body and perfect attitude and perfect grades—well, the epitome of perfection to sum it all up.

But Jellal Fernandes was far from perfection.

Hell he wasn't even close to perfection.

The better word suited for him would be quite the opposite.

He was a mess.

He was damaged.

And he was damaged beyond repair.

"Oi Jellal," his blond friend greeted him, slapping him on the back when he was caught staring off into space. "I'm going to head out to the cafeteria. You comin'?"

He just nodded as a reply, shoving his hands deep inside his scrub pants before walking along side his best friend.

Laxus Dreyar and Jellal Fernandes go way back.

To Jellal, Laxus was almost like a brother to him. And it was the same with the blond although they both wouldn't admit it verbally.

"So," Molten gold searched for food laid out on the counter. "You gonna tell me what kind of roommate you have?"

_Ah._

"Now that you mention it..." Jellal picked up his own choice of food, going for something light this lunch.

"Well, is it one of those nerds like Rufus?" Laxus stuffed his tray with heaps of bread and milk cartons and everything else that was on the menu.

Jellal snorted.

"Hell no."

"Is he gay like our P.E. teacher, Bob?"

"Fuck you."

Laxus merely laughed at this before paying for his lunch.

"You could really eat a lot." commented the ultramarine who was already indulging on his melon bread.

"Well are you gonna fuckin' tell me or do I have to keep guessing?"

"The latter."

"Fuck you!" the blond slammed his tray on the table and Jellal snickered at his friend's predictable reaction. "What, no clues?"

"It's a girl."

"Get the fuck out of here!"

The tattooed ultramarine raised his hands as a gesture that he was not kidding and that only made him smirk.

"Hmm, okay this calls for the Scale and Rate."

Jellal crossed his leg over the other and taunted him to start.

"At the scale of beauty—Old Lady Porlyusica to Mira."

"Damn, do you always have to rate Mirajane as the prettiest?"

Laxus chowed down his soba bread with a smug on his face.

"Can't help it, she's my girlfriend." he winked.

He thought about it for a moment, remembering how his roommate looked. It wasn't as angelic or ethereal as Mirajane's but it was captivating enough and beautiful in another definition.

"She's more of a Mirajane demon version."

"Hoh," Laxus was quite pleased with the description of the lady and continued on with narrowing her assets down.

"Okay, scale of chest size—"

"Definitely Lucy's."

Laxus crushed a milk carton and narrowed his eyes, pointing accusingly at the ultramarine.

"If this is Mira I swear—"

"She's not." he assured him while finally finishing his melon bread.

"Is she white-haired?"

"Laxus, she isn't Mirajane."

"Just answer the damn question." he snapped.

"No."

"Blonde?"

"Nope."

"Blue-haired?"

"Far from it."

"Black?"

"You're not trying hard enough."

"Brunette?"

"Almost there."

"Fuck! I got this one! She's a ginger ain't she?"

"Bingo."

Laxus slumped at his seat shaking his head from side to side.

"I can't imagine the nightmare you're having, sharing rooms with bitch Flare Corona."

Jellal laughed.

"What?" the blonde raised a brow at this.

"It's not Flare, Laxus."

"You're bitchin' with me aren't you? There no one else in campus who has a red—"

The ultramarine was smiling from ear to ear, amused that his dumb of a friend had already guessed.

"Shit, is it Natsu?"

"It's Erza Scarlet you fucking idiot."

"Oh...oh! Well that's anticlimactic." Laxus threw him an empty carton of milk and the ultramarine caught it with one hand.

"Why is that?"

"Well she ain't hot—"

"Laxus, Mirajane's the only one hot for you."

"Touché, and Erza's not a bitch either. She's fucking average. She's five out of ten. Someone who hangs in the middle. Not ugly, but not too stunning either."

Jellal didn't know but he just found himself smiling.

"I wouldn't call her average. She's...different."

"Different? And that's a good thing?" Laxus snickered, shoving chunk after huge chunk of bread into his mouth.

"Well she's not drooling over me."

"Oh sure, so she's one of those licking-pictures-building-shrines stalker then?"

Jellal stood up, fishing his cellphone out of his breast pocket.

He smirked.

"Let's just say she's more of a...challenge."

Laxus watched in confusion as the ultramarine left.

* * *

Erza sneezed.

"You got a cold Erza?" asked a friend of hers.

The girl's name was Lucy. She was filthy rich if someone's splitting hairs. The blond was the daughter of Jude Heartfilia who founded the renowned Hearfilia Konzern and the railways, making up for most of the transportation in Fiore. Erza's first impression of her was that of a snotty brat, but once she got the chance to know her—it was during algebra class of her first year in Fairy Tail University—Lucy was a really kindhearted and warm person.

"No, something just irritated my nose." the redhead pinched her nose bridge, clearing the passageway of dust and other foreign agents that might trigger another unceremonious sneezing. "Must be Cana and Levy talking about me. It's a miracle I've slipped out of them. Good thing they both don't have accounting as a subject."

Lucy took a seat beside her and started unloading her books on top of her desk. "Let me guess, it's about moving in the boy's dormitory and specifically being Jellal Fernandes' roommate." the blonde sighed, as if pitying her condition. "Everyone knows about it Erza."

Erza looked surprised. She didn't even tell a soul about this.

_It had barely been a week and the whole campus knows about it already?_

It's not like she cared or anything. She was just boarding in a room with a guy she barely knows and that's that.

"What's the big deal anyway?" she asked, almost irritated at how everyone seemed to make a big news out of it.

"Well let's just say that none of his fan girls are pretty happy with you two living under the same roof."

"He isn't even my type." she stated dryly, feeling the need to explain all of a sudden. "Let them think what they want to. I don't really care. It's a waste of time having to explain things to people who won't listen and understand. And besides, I hate repeating the same things over and over again."

Lucy opened up her notebook and shrugged.

"Well, that's Erza for you." The blonde suddenly remembered something because her eyes lit up and she was immediately holding the redhead's hands with much excitement exuding all over her. "Say, Natsu, Gray and I are planning for a movie marathon this weekend. You coming?"

Erza was ready to reject the offer but then Lucy interjected right before she could speak.

"And you really need a break from your part-time job right? Come on, one weekend wouldn't hurt, and your boss would understand right?"

She sighed, there was really no way out of this now.

"I suppose I could take a leave and explain things to Gildarts later."

Lucy pumped a fist in the air.

"Come to my room this Saturday 'kay? Twenty-fifth floor, room thirteen."

Erza smiled.

Yes, it was probably time to relax for a bit. After all it was just the third week of her second year in college, and she was really working her ass off from the last shifts at the convenience store. She was sure Gildarts would understand.

She needed this.

She needed a break.

* * *

Jellal was staring hard on the wall clock as the seconds ticked away. It's almost seven and Erza was nowhere near coming back.

_Did she forget that she still has unfinished business with me? Honestly, she just ran away this morning and she hasn't given me her schedule and we haven't discussed the matters regarding the rent's share._

It was when he heard a familiar sound of clanging of keys that he hurriedly opened the door.

Jellal immediately found her confused face as her hands stopped right in front of her, just as she was about to open the door. She recovered quickly though, and it must be because she had to cope up with the ultramarine's surprises. Like this one.

"You're late." he flatly stated.

Erza gave him an incredulous look before setting her bag on top of the dining table and letting her hair tie loose. She shook the strands of her hair and completely ignored the ultramarine who was following her every movement.

"Where have you been?"

The redhead slammed the fridge shut after grabbing her bottle out.

"You're not my dad or boyfriend. I don't have to report to you."

"Fair point," Jellal idly rested on the counter opposite her and took an apple from the fruit basket aligned next to the kitchenware. "So, do you want to talk about the rent now, or save it for tomorrow?"

"Wow. Talk?" she drank from her bottle before continuing, shaking her head while enjoying an inside joke all to herself. "Do you even know what that means?"

"Of course I do, unless..." Jellal smirked as his playful gaze met hers in an electrifying and gravity-defying sort of way. The ultramarine brought his lips to the surface of the apple, taking his precious time choosing the perfect spot before opening his mouth with a low sigh. He sank his teeth into the juicy fruit, biting off a huge chunk and chewing slowly before turning his hazy olive green eyes to a pair of shocked and offended pair of chocolate orbs. "...unless you have other things in mind."

"Okay," she croaked, and almost kicked herself for sounding like she was affected by his tantalizing way and display of eating a goddamned fruit. "Then talk."

Jellal took a step forward, and narrowed his eyes when she took two steps back, hitting the counter behind her as she winced in pain.

He smirked.

"Talk where I can actually see you from a distance." she commanded, placing a hand in front of her to mark the limit of their proximity. The redhead shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, trying her best to remain unfazed by his smoldering presence.

"What's wrong, Erza?" she nearly fell flat on the floor if it wasn't for the vice-like kind of grip she hand on the edge of the counter. His low and husky voice and the way her name smoothly rolled on his tongue made her weak on her knees.

Did he just cast a spell on her?

Step by agonizing step, he finally closed in on her and she nearly suffocated from the heat alone that radiated off of his body.

"The bill comes during the last Friday of the month." he whispered, taking another bite and never breaking connection with her saucer-wide eyes. "The electricity and water bills are inclusive to the rent's twelve thousand rate. We'll divide it by half...six thousand each."

Erza gulped before realizing she was dancing right onto the palm of his hand, falling into the devil's well orchestrated play. Jellal flashed a victorious smile, stretching a free hand out to her.

"Your schedule please?"

She gritted her teeth.

_Cocky bastard. Two can play at this game._

Erza slowly tugged on his arm as he was about to take yet another bite and this caught him by surprise because as far as he was concerned, she didn't want any kind of skinship. Slowly, ever so slowly, she used both hands to glide across the length of his forearm, sending delicious waves of friction coursing out through his entire system and causing muscles under taut skin to ripple and contract at the feathery light touch. His jaw clenched and his body went rigid when her delicate fingers wrapped around his own and the fruit, and much to his surprise, Erza started bringing the apple closer to her lips.

Doing all that without breaking eye contact.

She didn't know she was capable of doing something so...daring that she even surprised herself. This was uncharted territory for her. Something foreign and new and probably insane since the risks were similar to that of gambling. But she couldn't brush off the feeling that was lurking inside of her, something dark and growing. A little bit of that was going to do her good, but too much was going to be dangerous.

The redhead copied what he had done to her earlier, casting her own version of the spell—mewling in delight as the fruit's flavor burst inside of her mouth.

Jellal darted his tongue out, bringing the soft muscle to lick his seemingly dry lips. He swallowed hard at the sight before him.

"What's wrong Jellal?" the ultramarine couldn't find the right words to say. He was rendered speechless. And by a girl no less. Erza smirked at the obvious winner of the duel and was able to sigh in relief now that this was all over. She inserted a small card containing a computerized copy of her schedule right into the tattooed man's chest pocket. She gave it a light tap before heading out to the living room in search of the switch.

"Well would you look at that, it's already seven." Erza flipped the switch off, their room being eventually flooded in darkness. The light from the hallway though, managed to seep in through the gap under their door which was enough to illuminate the room, casting molten gold and a heavenly glow to both their figures.

Erza brushed past Jellal, relishing how dumb and steady he looked.

This was her win.

Nothing reached Jellal the moment she disappeared inside her room. He was still too stunned to move. The trick she managed to pull off still had this unbearable effect on him that he couldn't describe.

Jellal could feel the slight rumble forming against his throat and the tugging of his face's muscles to bring his lips upward. He released a quiet laughter all to himself, placing a hand on his mouth as he silently enjoyed the genuine joy that cracked him up.

He wasn't perfect.

He was a mess. A sick, sick mess and he was damaged beyond repair.

There were still skeletons in his closet and he was looking for the perfect way to keep him from looking back.

The search has ended.

He needed a distraction.

And Erza Scarlet was every bit of the distraction he needed.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I just couldn't butcher Erza's personality by making her jelly in Jelly's sinful ministrations right? This is Erza Scarlet we're talking about! :D Things are going to pick up the pace on the succeeding chapters, which may get the rating to go up. This is sort of new to me and I'm hoping not to screw this one up. :P I tried making a oneshot that's rated M and I got a handful of good feedback [and I am hoping for more, just for the encouragement and as I've said, to not make a mess of this story.] :D**

**Tried changing In A Heartbeat's rating to M but couldn't. I keep getting an error message. Hmmm, something's definitely wrong with the site. I'll probably do that after FFnet's fixed. Oh and CEAPR's next chapter will be posted next week I guess? Still not done with a couple of things. Yeah. That's all for now, leave out your love!**

**:)**


	4. Just Because

**WARNING: RAW FILE/A LOT OF FANTASIZING :D**

Disclaimer applied

Poetry In Motion  
the final downpour of metaphors

Chapter Four: Just Because

* * *

Erza was frowning the whole time.

It was supposed to be a great-no-classes-day but she found herself stuck inside the living room for no particular reason. She didn't know why, but to her, the state she was currently in reminded her that she was indeed an idiot—a redhead with a size of a pea for logic and judgment. She's an aspiring lawyer damn it! If she needs to pass this, she has got to have more brains than that.

She sighed for what seemed like the tenth time, and couldn't help but toss her scarlet tresses aside.

The heat was killing her. Sure the lounge provided much more breathing space compared to her small room which was always the first one to be hit by the streaks of the sun's rays, but she was perspiring so much she almost thought of stripping down to her underwear.

But she couldn't, because someone else was there with her and was becoming too much of an eyesore to her peripheral vision.

"Don't you have classes or anything?" Erza groaned, pulling on her tank top to prevent the white cloth material from sticking to her skin. It was one of those hot days when you can do nothing but whine and complain, and the season really picked the worst day to aggravate her with the heat wave. She was just glad that she wore cotton shorts; at least her thighs and legs could breathe.

"I wouldn't be here if I had classes Erza." he chuckled as he watched her from the opposite couch, sitting relaxed and keeping his eyes fixed on her lying form. The ultramarine had to admit that the sight right in front of him was one of those rare moments where she would actually set aside her barriers and let her guard down. He watched in unadulterated amusement as she repeatedly tossed around from side to side, picking the right spot to rest her clammy skin.

She's really gorgeous, the ultramarine thought and as much as he hated to deny it, he eventually found himself staring unabashedly at her; phthalo green eyes adjusting to the sunbathed living room and magnifying from a distance the very figure that set him in a trance. He started with her hair, that long, silky red hair. He watched as she finally gathered the strands, dragging the red waterfall to a single place on top of her head and spinning them together like thread around a spool; soon after the rivulets became a crimson whirlpool which paved the way to bring his forest green eyes to the most tantalizing part just below the spilling strands of her scarlet locks. The creamy, white skin coated in the finest film of sweat amplified the potential of her nape, making the said body part an alluring agent enough to make Jellal dart his tongue out and lick his now dry lips.

He took advantage of his long fringes as they hooded every heated gaze he threw at her—from the huge swell of her chest, to the small portion of her back and taut stomach, and all the way down to her well rounded bottom and the shapely length of her long legs. He took her form in, carefully imprinting every curve and every flaw, like the small, pinkish scar on her left hip, or the mole situated on her elbow or...or how her nimble fingers gracefully dove right down into the depths of the bowl placed on top of a table, searching for something.

Jellal held his breath; her appendages took a couple of ice cubes, letting them drip for a second before shoving them into her mouth. A soft sound of appreciation left her lips as the frozen liquid cooled her somehow. A small bead of water trickled down the corner of her mouth before teasingly rolling down her chin, hanging like a drew drop at the first bliss of the morning wake and then dropping unceremoniously just above her collarbone, gravity breaking it down into smaller beads of water and melding onto her skin unnoticed.

The ultramarine didn't know, but right now, she was playing her role of being a distraction really well. And all he wanted to do right at that moment was press his lips on her skin and drag them to the length of her neck, all the way up to her chin and to the corner of her lips—

"—do you want to?"

He went rigid from the sudden outburst of her question. Had she noticed the way he looked at her that she so willingly volunteered herself to fix the mess he was right now? And did he want to? Hell yes!

He gulped before quietly adding, "May I?"

Erza lazily glanced at him before shrugging and stuffing another ice cube into her mouth.

"Yeah sure, go ahead."

The redhead had only two seconds to realize that he was now sitting right in front of her, his face slowly closing in on hers. Alarmed, she bolted up from her position and sat up, effectively distancing herself from his suffocating frame.

"What the hell do you think you're—"

The last thing that caught her vision, was her book, hitting the floor before his lips slammed onto hers.

Jellal could feel the hot and cold mushing together, making the ice melt at the onslaught of the heated kiss. The redhead managed to kick him off and send him to the floor, her face flushed, her breaths coming in short and quick pants as she glared at the man who almost made her melt like the frozen liquid dripping from her chin.

"What the hell did you do that for?!"

He collected himself before tilting his head from one side, his face plastered with a disappointed look.

"No steam?"

Erza blushed a violent shade of red before letting out another frustrated remark.

"Steam? That's your concern?"

"I was kind of hoping there'll be at least a puff because the ice was cold and our lips are—"

"Enough! What the fuck is running through that screwed up head of yours? We've only been rooming together for a few days and then suddenly you'd just kiss me? Just like that?"

"What are you so upset about?" Jellal stood up, feeling the sudden rush of excitement getting drained out of him; he rolled his eyes. "Besides, you were the one who made a move first."

The redhead snorted, "Me?"

"Hn, 'do you want to?'" Jellal mimicked the way she spoke and shook his head, losing interest in her already.

"That's just half of what I asked. I distinctly remember asking, 'I've got a more ice cubes here; you can try and cool yourself down,'" and then Erza reiterated every word as her eyes narrowed to slits. "Do. You. Want. To?"

_Oh._

"Well you didn't specify _where_ I can get the ice cubes."

"Oh, so you just _assumed_ that it was going to be _inside_ my mouth then?"

"No, I knew I had to take them from inside your—"

Erza raised a hand and effectively shut him up.

"Alright, I've had just about enough of your antics."

"Come on, loosen up will you?" he tried reaching for her arm but the redhead slapped his hand away.

"This had just officially ended whatever good things I thought you had. I can't do this, this isn't working out."

"What's not working out?" he smirked, another playful spark building up within him.

"This arrangement of me sharing a room and spending an awful lot of wasted time with you!"

"And apparently, you're stuck with me for the whole semester Miss Scarlet." he teased.

"Not if I have any say in it." she muttered before picking up the fallen text on the ground and getting out of the place she called a hellhole.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't do anything about it?" her day that was supposed to be spent on shopping, or reading books or recreational activities turned out to be one of the most stressful days of her life.

The platinum haired girl batted her eyelashes before speaking in her usual summertime voice.

"I'm sorry Miss Scarlet, but I can't just simply transfer you to another room, and if I did, it will not change the fact that you'd still be living with a boy."

"I don't care! Just, just not with him. Anyone would be fine! Anyone at all!"

"I'm really sorry," Mirajane shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "You will have to wait 'til next semester to make new arrangements. Until then, try your best to make the most out of your time will Jellal-kun."

_Jellal-kun, Jellal-kun my ass! Why is everybody always in favor of him?_

She needed a break, and tomorrow was the perfect day to chill out.

Tomorrow was movie time with Lucy.

* * *

She didn't know what to bring so Erza just played it safe and picked up a couple bags of microwavable popcorn, bottles of soda and a decent pack of chips.

The redhead seemed excited; who wouldn't be though, if after all, the previous days had been a bother and energy-draining. It was her turn to finally pay when a sudden chill ran down her spine. Carefully unloading the last bag of popcorn, she looked behind her, only to find a certain blue-haired man smirking right back at her with a paper bag full of what seemed to be his food supply for the week. He casually waved at her and she shook her head, rolling her eyes as she took out some bills.

It was not too long after she started counting her change when a familiar presence loomed over her; without turning around or looking up, she sighed irritably and spoke like she was talking to an incredibly rude stranger.

"I've no time to spare."

She heard him chuckle and thinking that any response would only nurse his ego, she decided to_ s_hrug this one off and settled for the safest method.

Erza walked away from him.

"Hey," Jellal followed suit and tucked the paper bag between his arm and torso, his hands free and lifted in midair. "You want help with that?"

"No." she snapped back.

"You're still not mad about what happened yesterday right?"

"Yes I am, so back off."

"Alright, alright, it was my fault. I admit," his tone turned serious and with this, the redhead finally brought her head up to meet his eyes. "Can we start all over again?"

"No. Now for the last time, leave me alone."

Jellal smiled, falling behind her fast pace.

"So, I'll see you later then?"

From a distance, Erza just kept a victorious smile all to herself.

_Oh, but Jellal-kun, you won't be seeing me for the rest of the weekend._

* * *

**A/N: Short chapter I know, but it'll get better/longer :) BTW please drop by my profile page, got a poll going on, and I want your opinion/votes and ideas for my next story. Brought up a few choices and if you want something else that's not on the options, don't hesitate to PM me :D**

**loveyou!**


	5. As The Reels Turn

Disclaimer applied

Poetry In Motion  
the final downpour of metaphors

Chapter Five: As The Reels Turn

* * *

Lucy was busy tidying up her unit as she sighed wearily. Truthfully, even though being the only daughter of one of the richest men in the country had its perks, the blonde could safely say that it also had its disadvantages. Like for example, the huge unit her father bought for her at a shy rate of a million yen that she was currently staying at, boasting with a spacious living room decorated with luxurious furniture and appliances, a complete set of cooking utensils adorning the vast space of the dining hall and kitchen, two grand bedrooms—a unit like that was challenge enough to be cleaned. The rooms also seemed empty, with her being the only occupant. She actually didn't want this kind of setup, but this was the only way to make her father agree to her terms of living freely and independently. It was the better side of the deal if she was to weigh the other option which was travelling to school via helicopter and being escorted by a dozen guards. Lucy hated the attention, and the hypocritical act that'll go with it. She wanted to make friends yes, but she wasn't desperate to settle for the fake commitments. In fact, the blonde tried her hardest to cover her popular identity and somehow managed to stay on low profile by introducing herself as just Lucy. The girl who loved football games and hanging out with her friends. The girl who found a way to finally fit in. The girl who was finally having a go at real life.

"Lucy!" the blonde jumped at the sudden mention of her name.

"Natsu! What are you doing here?" she propped the broom beside the sofa and sat down to take a break.

"Figured out that maybe I can help you with chores?" Lucy snickered and pulled her hair tie to let her golden locks loose.

She shook them slightly before tying them up once again into a neat bun.

"What did you do to Natsu?" she laughed heartily as her pink-headed friend frowned, faking a hurt and offended emotion. "As you can see, I'm practically done. Thanks for the offer though."

Natsu inspected the area, and seeing how spic and span it was just shrugged and strode inside her living room.

"Where's Gray by the way?"

"He's taking care of business with Juvia." he lazily replied.

"Oh, so they're official now?"

Natsu crossed his arms behind his head and slouched.

"Nah, Droopy-Eyes still has no balls to return her feelings and accept the damn fact that he feels the same."

Lucy sighed before muttering something inaudible, "You're one to talk..."

"Hah?"

She stood up and lazily stretched, disregarding his previous attempt to make her repeat what she had just said and followed it up with a bright and happy disposition.

"You want to have lunch?"

The rosette's face lit up immediately.

"Have I ever turned that kind of offer down Luce?" he smirked, and all the blonde saw was how gorgeous his pearly whites complemented his tanned skin.

She snorted.

"Well of course not, because it's always my treat."

Natsu slung his arm over the blonde's shoulder much to her surprise. "Nah, I'm paying this time Luce!"

She didn't know why, but she felt light and giddy all of a sudden. All she could recall at that very moment was his summer scent and her heart beating erratically.

* * *

"This weekend?" asked a deep but gentle voice.

Erza simply nodded.

The redhead deemed this as the perfect chance to ask her manager for the weekend off.

Gildarts Clive was the manager of the convenience store that Erza was working at, apart from that, he was also Cana's father and that was apparently the reason why the redhead was spending most of her time with the brunette. Gildarts was a muscular middle aged man with orange hair, slicked back neatly and a stubbly beard. Unlike normal people, he had been living his life out on prosthetic limbs—he lost his left arm and leg on an accident. Despite his intimidating, stern and grumpy persona, he was actually a soft, laid-back and sensitive type of man. Erza had proven this over the long run when she was constantly working with him during her shifts.

"Alright. I'll be asking Laki to take your place for the meantime."

Erza smiled then followed the gesture with a bow. She was about to take her leave right after that when her manager called out to her. Gildarts threw an item into the air, and the redhead caught it perfectly with one hand.

It was a box of scotch mints—her favorite.

"Have a blast kiddo."

She smiled.

_This is going to be a great weekend after all..._

Erza was nearly halfway to opening the door, when a sudden push forced her to slightly tumble back. The familiar dark shades of hair and eyes immediately caught Erza's attention.

"Gray." she managed to call out, and the guy clad in a blue hoodie and cargo pants acknowledged her presence.

"Oh, Erza."

"What are you doing here?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Going to buy some snacks for later. You?"

The redhead pointed out to Gildarts who was busy arranging merchandises on an empty shelf. "Asked for the weekend off."

"Oh. So you wanna help me pick some stuff up?"

Erza knew this was an opportunity she could not pass up. Especially when Gray provided her necessary means of escape. Her perfect excuse of a man to escape her sexually frustrated and perverted offender of a roommate. And since she was already done preparing the things needed for later, she figured she had the time to spare as well. She checked her watch and smiled all to herself.

"Sure. Be sure to take all the time that you need."

* * *

Erza got home at around seven-thirty in the evening. As expected, Jellal was bound by his own rules and she was glad that the lights were off. Silence welcomed her the moment she entered the living area. The television was off, and no one seemed to be home. There were also no lights coming from the ultramarine's room.

_Huh, must be a boy's night out._

Erza couldn't care less. He was out of her hair and that was all that mattered to her; the guy was becoming difficult to handle, and if it was safe to say, he was being much more aggressive which was making her very uncomfortable. She wanted to sue him. She can do that, knowing the laws by heart and how her rights work, she could definitely sue him; but Erza wanted to avoid lesser confrontations and bothersome issues so she just decided to let his innuendos pass and hopefully with time, she'll learn to get used to them and someday ignore them completely.

She quickly grabbed her things, wasting no time and headed to the elevator.

The redhead recalled that Lucy hadn't given her the time when she's supposed to come, but since it was already dark, she decided it was probably the best moment to head up.

She pressed the button marked with the number twenty-five and arrived a minute later. Erza searched for the numbers that marked her friend's unit.

"Thirteen...thirteen...ah, here it is." she stopped at the end of the hall and knocked.

There was no response.

She knocked again, harder this time.

Erza heard the lock coming undone and then the door opened, revealing a spiky mop of blue hair, a cocky wide grin, a distracting red tattoo and an arrogant stance leaning against the door frame.

Jellal was right in front of her.

The redhead's eyes were wide as saucers and her mouth was hanging open like a door with rusty hinges.

The ultramarine was about to speak when Erza suddenly interrupted him, raising a hand and frowning in the process.

"I'm sorry, wrong room." her tone held a little contempt as she slowly closed the door.

She heard a soft thud and she tried calming herself down.

_Keep it together Scarlet. You've apparently got the wrong room._

She slowly walked away and began searching once again for Lucy's unit.

"Room thirteen." she was back to square one, footsteps making the most of the quiet night and soft whispers counting off one to thirteen. She was brought back by her feet to the same room and she inhaled.

_You were simply hallucinating Scarlet. He was nothing but just a figment of your imagination._

The redhead knocked once more and the door was opened once again.

"Erza you made it!" squealed a high-pitched tone that obviously didn't belong to any man.

"Lucy," she sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

The blonde raised a brow in confusion but eventually shrugged it off.

"What took you so long? Natsu and Gray headed out and they're not yet back." she offered a glass of juice and Erza heartily gulped down the fruity beverage.

"Where did they go?"

"I asked them to go buy popcorn at the convenience store and it's been an hour already."

"Do you want me to go look for them?"

"No need. I'll do the looking. Help yourselves in and make yourselves comfortable."

_Yourselves?_

Erza hadn't had the chance to ask her why use the plural term when she was apparently all alone inside her unit. Dusting this one off, she strolled inside the spacious room that was Lucy's residence. She set the glass down at a table and browsed the mountain of CDs piled up for their weekend getaway fun.

"These are all good." she muttered.

"I agree, but I think it would be better to watch something different. Something like risqué movies, don't you think so too, Erza?"

She jumped at the clarity of the deep voice and was caught off guard that someone else was with her in there. She spun around and came face to face with the guy she'd been trying to avoid all day.

"What the hell are you doing here Jellal?" she seethed, backing away immediately and distancing herself from him.

"Don't ask me, I was merely invited by a friend."

"Don't give me that as a pathetic excuse you—"

The door blasted open showing off a rather enthusiastic trio.

"Yo Erza!" both Gray and Natsu welcomed in unison.

"I met them both at the elevator so have—"

"Did you just invite _this guy_ in?" Erza roared and Lucy nearly turned to puddle at the tenacity of her voice. Natsu, Gray and Jellal however, were already busy stuffing the table with food and picking the movie line up.

"W-Well, I actually passed by your dorm earlier but no one was there except for upperclassman Jellal. I asked him where you were and he told me he didn't know and he asked why I was looking for you, which I practically had to answer. And then it ended up with me being manipulated to asking him out to join us tonight." she lamely finished.

Erza couldn't just believe what she had heard. She wasted precious time with Gray and spent the remaining hours wasted alone to get out of the ultramarine's peripheral view, but she just ended up right at the palm of his hand!

"I'm leaving."

"What?"

"I've changed my mind. I'm not in the mood to watch a movie anymore."

"Oi, you wanna get your asses here or are we gonna start the movie without you guys?" Natsu popped a potato chip into his mouth while Gray killed the lights off. And Jellal, oh Jellal was just sitting on the floor with a rather amused face, his gaze glued on the redhead.

It irritated her. That smug and that sinfully alluring tattoo of his.

She hated him.

"Erza it's just one night! Plus we've already planned this out!" Lucy whined, trying her best to knock some sense back to her friend.

"Come on, we're starting off with Erza's favorite!" Gray yelled as he settled to join the rest of the guys who were already happily munching away the food.

Clearly trapped in a hopeless situation, Erza dropped her stuff unceremoniously to the floor and rolled her eyes much to the blonde's delight.

"So this is Erza's favorite huh? Interesting." Jellal snickered as the rest of the gang finally huddled closer to watch.

They were going to indeed watch Erza's favorite.

The movie was called Frozen.

* * *

Starting from an animated film, they moved on to a few more known titles—Titanic, as suggested by Lucy, Battle Royale coming from Natsu and Edward Scissorhands from Gray. It was during the credits of the last movie that everyone—except Erza—turned to face the only one who has yet to pick a movie.

"It's your turn now Jellal." Gray said, shoving a mouthful of popcorn into his mouth.

"Hurry up man." Natsu yawned while rubbing his eyes.

It was already five in the morning and they have yet to get a shuteye.

Lucy looked at his upperclassman expectantly and Jellal sighed.

"Then let's go watch this."

He inserted the disc and they all prepared for what kind of movie the mysterious and handsome Jellal Fernandes had in store for them.

It was only about fifteen minutes when the movie started that everyone fell asleep.

Natsu was already snoring away, his head resting on the lap of Lucy who was now dozing off in a sitting position, and Gray who was wasted on the floor with hardly any clothes on.

Everyone was asleep except for Jellal and surprisingly Erza.

Erza who was so engrossed with the film, was barely noticing the ultramarine's presence at all.

There were times that she frowned, parts where she cried and shrieked and laughed and Jellal quietly indulged all of her genuine reactions.

When the movie finally finished Erza lazily stretched.

Jellal was about to stand up and fix everything up when the redhead's voice called out to him.

"Hey,"

_That's a first._

He faced her to tell her that she had his undivided attention.

"Would you have held on safely to the past or risk finding the future?"

Jellal was quiet for a moment, and when he finally found his answer, he spoke softly.

"Neither. I'm picking the present. The present determines the past and molds the future."

With that being said, his eyes felt heavy and he silently yawned. Jellal's head swayed for a bit before falling into the mercy of gravity, his locks draping over the redhead's shoulder. On normal occasions, Erza would usually push him off or get rid of him for good, but his answer made the redhead stir up her brain cells as sleep itself slowly played its soft notes on her face.

When she entered dreamworld, Erza realized that for once, she wasn't dreaming of Elsa or Anna or Kristoff or Olaf or how their lives turned out to be perfect.

Because for the first time, she dreamed she was Tiffany, and Jellal was Pat.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for any grammatical errors. I haven't cleaned this one up. Lol, I hoped you loved the movies mentioned and they do not belong to me. (obviously) I'm just a fan :P If any of you are wondering what that last movie was, it's entitled SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. Trust me it's a GREAT movie. It's AWESOME. Heavy dialogue yeah, but that was the thing that made this EPIC. If you haven't watched this, of forgod'ssakedownloadapiratedcopyorbuyone! And for those who have, let's watch it overandover again!**

**Leave out your love people! :3**


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